At Staples Center, inside the locker room, Jiang Lin quickly packed his belongings. If this place didn't want him, there would be others. The thought of finding a new job was actually somewhat exciting to him.
The NBA is a business, a fact that is reflected clearly in the locker room, where players treat each other like coworkers, with little interaction beyond what's necessary.
Jiang Lin, having finished his shower first, checked his phone. To his delight, he saw numerous news articles about his performance from back home. The trolls had turned into fans overnight. On platforms like Hupu, Tieba, and Weibo, people were praising his spectacular performance.
The GIF of him crossing over LeBron James was spreading across the internet. While basketball can't be judged by one play, this one was too impressive not to talk about—crossing over the league's best defender, LeBron James.
A highlighted comment nailed it: "This play alone is worth bragging about for a lifetime!"
Some even compared it to Iverson crossing Jordan, suggesting that Jiang Lin might similarly launch his NBA career from this moment, with the stars and the sea waiting for him.
Reading this, Jiang Lin felt a surge of joy and energy. He wasn't alone; 1.3 billion people were supporting him!
He received WeChat messages from his cousin and many classmates, but before he could respond, he heard a voice:
"Hey, JIANG, if you can play like that every game, you'll definitely become a regular! Keep it up!"
Standing in front of him was Metta World Peace, wearing shorts and holding a towel, his muscular frame and fierce expression making him look intimidating.
"Haha, sure, but my contract here is about to end."
"So what? This is just the beginning of your NBA journey. I wish you all the best."
To be honest, if Jiang Lin hadn't met Metta World Peace in person, he might still think of him as the brawling king from the Malice at the Palace, a hot-tempered guy from a family of tough guys. But over the past week, he realized Metta was just a straightforward guy with a simple mind. He was the only one who came to talk to Jiang Lin, appreciating his skills and expressing it directly.
"Thanks, big brother Metta!" Jiang Lin fist-bumped him.
"Hey, it's unbelievable. You crossed over LeBron James! I almost laughed out loud when it happened, you know?" Metta sat next to Jiang Lin, sharing his thoughts like a boss.
"Haha, I didn't expect it either. I just wanted to showcase my skills."
"Can you teach me some of those dribble moves someday? I might need them. Are they streetball moves?"
"Yes, I played streetball for a long time, so my style is heavily influenced by it." Jiang Lin felt like he was in an NBA 2K game, chatting with NBA stars and feeling excited. This was a Lakers champion member, after all.
"That's awesome. You could popularize these moves in the NBA." Metta's big hands clapped in approval.
"No matter which team you go to, I'll be your fan from now on," Metta said, adding that he wanted his son to learn dribbling from Jiang Lin during the offseason. This guy was really genuine, praising Jiang Lin's dribbling skills in front of everyone in the locker room.
It's worth noting that in the NBA, everyone can dribble well. For veterans to acknowledge a rookie's dribbling is rare.
What made Jiang Lin burst out laughing was Metta running over to Odom, talking about Jiang Lin's final jelly layup: "Odom, did you see that move? The wrist flick and reverse layup, amazing, right?"
Odom grudgingly admitted, "Yeah, it's impressive... He can definitely play in the NBA."
Seeing Odom's pained expression made Jiang Lin laugh even more.
"JIANG, I have contacts with other teams. I'll give them to you. Go for tryouts, and I guarantee they'll sign you!"
"Haha, thanks, big brother." A warm feeling washed over Jiang Lin. The NBA was still about basketball and had its share of good people.
No brothers, no basketball. This big brother was truly great.
At the same time, someone else was thinking about bringing Jiang Lin on board.
That someone was LeBron James.
During the post-game press conference with Coach Spoelstra, the questions quickly shifted from the game to the crossover incident due to the lopsided score.
Reporter: "LeBron, in the second quarter, you were crossed over by a Lakers rookie. Can you tell us what happened?"
LeBron sniffed, "Oh, that was a good move. My shoes slipped a bit. I didn't expect him to make so many moves. Yes, really didn't expect it."
Getting crossed over is often excused with "my shoes slipped" or "my laces were untied"… LeBron wouldn't admit he got crossed so easily.
Reporter: "Jiang Lin's moves were indeed numerous and flashy. Do you think such streetball moves can be effective in the NBA?"
"Of course they can. I think they use up a lot of energy, but as long as they work, it's fine."
The reporters laughed, knowing LeBron's style—he didn't need to do flashy moves when his physical strength could bulldoze his way to the rim.
A reporter from the Los Angeles Times asked the final question about Jiang Lin: "LeBron, after this game, Jiang Lin's short contract ends, making him a free agent. The Heat currently have only 13 players on the roster. Can such a player make it in the NBA? Would he be a good fit as your teammate?"
LeBron nodded: "Sure, and I don't understand why a player with such offensive talent was used for only a few minutes. I remember his offense clearly. He can definitely be a competent rotation guard."
LeBron's words carried significant weight, suggesting he'd welcome Jiang Lin as a teammate. Would Heat GM Pat Riley make a move? This statement sent a strong message.
Everyone knew… LeBron left the Cavaliers because he chose his teammates, not the team. Players approved by LeBron were few, even those at the end of the bench were signed with his endorsement.
This was also a jab at Kobe, as Kobe had commented that LeBron's defensive focus wasn't what it used to be, getting crossed by a rookie.
Coach Spoelstra, standing nearby, joked: "LeBron, are you hinting we should talk to him?"
LeBron laughed: "Haha, I didn't say that."